Attack of the Puppet People
| runtime = 79 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = }} Attack of the Puppet People (working titles The Fantastic Puppet People and I Was a Teenage Doll, and re-titled Six Inches Tall in the UK) is a 1958 American black-and-white science fiction horror film starring John Agar, John Hoyt, and June Kenney. It was directed, produced, and written by Bert I. Gordon for his Alta Vista Productions. He also worked on the film's special effects. American International Pictures released the film as a double feature with War of the Colossal Beast.Warren, Bill (1986). "Keep Watching The Skies, Volume 2". McFarland & Co., Inc. . Page 732 Attack of the Puppet People was rushed into production by AIP and Bert I. Gordon to capitalize on the popular success of Universal-International's The Incredible Shrinking Man, released the previous year in 1957."Attack of the Puppet People". Time Out London, Plot A Brownie troop visits the doll manufacturing company, Dolls Inc., owned and operated by the seemingly kindly Mr. Franz (John Hoyt). As the girls tour the factory, they see a number of very lifelike dolls stored in glass canisters locked in a display case on a wall. These are part of Mr. Franz’s "special collection". Sally Reynolds (June Kenney) answers a newspaper advertisement for a secretary position (Franz's previous secretary has mysteriously vanished). Although concerned about his obsession with the special doll collection, she reluctantly agrees to take the job. A traveling salesman, Bob Westley (John Agar), comes to the office, and he and Sally soon develop a relationship. After working at the doll factory for several weeks, Sally receives a marriage proposal from Bob. He persuades her to quit her job, while promising to break the news to Franz. The next day, however, Franz informs Sally that Bob has returned home to take care of extended business, and so advises her to forget him. She notices a new doll in his collection that looks just like Bob. Frightened, she goes to the police, claiming that Franz has somehow shrunken Bob and added him to his doll collection. Hearing this, Sergeant Paterson (Jack Kosslyn) is highly skeptical, but to placate her, he investigates. Franz is able to convince him that the dolls are just what they appear to be: dolls. When Franz finds out that Sally plans to quit, he locks her in his lab. He has developed a machine that can shrink people down to one-sixth of their original size. He uses the shrinking machine on anyone who tries to leave him. All the "dolls" in his glass case are former "friends" put in suspended animation, which he has also invented. Sally becomes his latest victim. After a reunion between Sally and Bob, Franz reveals how his reduction process works and why he miniaturizes people: He developed a strong phobia against being alone after his wife left him. Periodically, Franz awakens his miniaturized captives so that they can enjoy the "parties" he throws for them. During a welcoming party for the two newcomers, Franz has to deal with full-size friend and customer Emil (Michael Mark). The small prisoners try but fail to call for help. Sergeant Paterson, however, begins investigating Franz because many people he knows have gone missing. After Franz is questioned again by Paterson, he panics, announcing to his tiny prisoners that he plans to kill them and himself before he is caught. He takes his "collection" to an old theater, supposedly to test his repairs made on Emil's marionette. There, he throws one final party, forcing his captives to act-out Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Bob and Sally manage to escape and make it back to Franz's workshop. Franz tracks them down, but not before they are able to return themselves to normal size. They leave and go directly to the police, despite his pathetic pleas of "Don't leave me. I'll be alone". (The fates of the other prisoners, still miniaturized and frozen, are not revealed). Cast *June Kenney as Sally Reynolds *John Agar as Bob Westley *John Hoyt as Mr. Franz *Michael Mark as Emil *Jack Kosslyn as Sergeant Paterson *Marlene Willis as Laurie/Theme song vocalist *Ken Miller as Stan *Laurie Mitchell as Georgia Lane *Scott Peters as Mac *Susan Gordon as Agnes *June Jocelyn as Brownie Leader Production The film was originally shot under the title The Fantastic Puppet People.Gary A. Smith, The American International Pictures Video Guide, McFarland 2009 p 18 Director Bert I. Gordon's daughter, Susan Gordon, was a last-minute substitute for another child actress who was ill and unable to work. Because of the size-changing aspects of the plot, the film made extensive use of special effects and oversize props. Science fiction film historian Tom Weaver and Dr. Robert J. Kiss talk about the making and distribution of the film on the audio commentary of the 2017 Shout! Factory Blu-ray. Another of Gordon's films is referenced when a scene from The Amazing Colossal Man is shown at a drive-in. Donald Barthelme's 1961 short story "The Hiding Fan" features two characters viewing the film. Reception The film received mediocre reviews at the time of its release. It has since gained somewhat of a cult status among fans of the B movie genre. Its plotline was reused for the French film Le Manteau de Glace. Trivia The Watergate burglary lookout, Alfred C. Baldwin III, was watching Attack of the Puppet People on TV at the time of the break-in. He failed to notice a police car pulling up at the scene in time for his accomplices to make their escape. Home media Attack of the Puppet People was released on DVD by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as part of their "Midnite Movies" collection. Shout Factory released the film November 14, 2017 on Region A Blu-ray. The transfer was made using a 2K scan of the film's interpositive, in its original widescreen 1:85:1 aspect ratio. Film historian Tom Weaver provides an audio commentary track. The film's theatrical release trailer is also included. See also * List of American films of 1958 * List of films featuring miniature people * Dr. Shrinker References * David Wingrove, Science Fiction Film Source Book (Longman Group Limited, 1985) External links * * Category:1958 films Category:1958 horror films Category:1950s science fiction horror films Category:Films directed by Bert I. Gordon Category:American films Category:American black-and-white films Category:American International Pictures films Category:American science fiction horror films Category:English-language films Category:Mad scientist films Category:Films about size change